Tourism

ˈpiːpl̩ ˈtrævl̩ | tə ˈfɑːrəweɪ ˈpleɪsɪz | tə ˈwɒʧ ɪn ˈfæsəˈneɪʃn̩ | ðə ˈkaɪnd ə ˈθɪŋz | ðeɪ ɪɡˈnɔːr ət ˈhəʊm

Key at bottom of page.

Commentary

people: Phonemically, the final syllable of people is /əl/. When this syllable is preceded by /p/, however, the schwa /ə/ isn't pronounced. Instead the articulators move directly from the position for /p/ to the position for /l/. This is easy to do in the case of /p/ because /p/ is articulated with the two lips and /l/ is articulated with the tongue-tip. These articulators can move independently of each other and so when the lips move apart to release the /p/, the tongue tip is already in position for the /l/ and no intervening schwa /ə/ occurs.

travel: Phonemically, the final syllable of travel is /əl/. When this syllable is preceded by /v/, however, the schwa /ə/ isn't usually pronounced. Instead the articulators move directly from the position for /v/ to the position for /l/. This is easy to do in the case of /v/ because /v/ is articulated with the lower lip against the upper front teeth and /l/ is articulated with the tongue-tip. These articulators can move independently of each other and so when the lower lip moves away from the upper front teeth, completing the /v/ sound, the tongue tip is already in position for the /l/ and no intervening schwa /ə/ occurs.

Note that in English, syllabic /l/ is not a phoneme in its own right, but merely a special way of realising the syllable /əl/. This means that when we use a special symbol [l̩] for it in transcription, it makes our transcription non-phonemic (because we are now using more than one symbol for each phoneme and introducing a special symbol to show a particular phonetic detail).

to: When unstressed, as it usually is, to has the weak form /tə/ when the immediately following word begins with a consonant. This is true for both the preposition, e.g. Go to hell /ˈɡəʊ tə ˈhel/, and the 'to infinitive', e.g. Go to see /ˈɡəʊ tə ˈsiː/.

faraway: When the first element of a compound word ends in /ɑː/ and the second element beɡins with a vowel, the consonant /r/ is inserted between the vowels. This process is known as /r/-liaison and also occurs after /ə ɔː ɜː eə ɪə ʊə/.

places: Plural s has three pronunciations depending on the sound at the end of the noun:

•          /ɪz/ after /s z ʃ ʒ ʧ ʤ/
•          /s/ after the remaining voiceless consonants
•          /z/ after vowels and the remaining voiced consonants.

The same pattern applies to third person singular s, possessive s and the contraction of is.

in: Although in is monosyllabic function/grammatical word and is usually unstressed, it doesn’t usually have a weak form.

fascination: Phonemically, the final syllable of temptation is /ən/. When this syllable is preceded by /ʃ/, however, the schwa /ə/ often isn't pronounced. Instead the articulators move directly from the position for /ʃ/ to the position for /n/. This is relatively easy to do because /ʃ/ is a fricative, a category of sound which involves making a very narrow stricture in the vocal tract. It is possible, therefore, for the articulators to move from such a position to the complete closure required for /n/ (accompanied by the lowering of the soft palate to allow air to escape out through the nose) without passing through the position for a vowel and thereby avoiding an intervening schwa /ə/.

Note that in English, syllabic /n/ is not a phoneme in its own right, but merely a special way of realising the syllable /ən/. This means that when we use a special symbol [n̩] for it in transcription, it makes our transcription non-phonemic (because we are now using more than one symbol for each phoneme and introducing a special symbol to show a particular phonetic detail).

the: When unstressed, as it usually is, the definite article the has the weak form /ðə/ when the following word begins with a consonant.

of: When unstressed, as it usually is, of has the weak form /əv/. When a consonant immediately follows in the next word, of can have the form /ə/. This is particularly common before /ð/ (e.g. of the, of those, of them, of this, of that) and in high-frequency phrases (e.g. a cup of tea, a bunch of grapes).

things: See ‘places’ above.

they: Although they is a monosyllabic function/grammar word and is usually unstressed, it doesn’t have a weak form.

ignore: When a word ends in /ɔː/ and is immediately followed (without a pause) by a word beginning with a vowel, the consonant /r/ is inserted between the vowels. This process is known as /r/-liaison and also occurs after /ɑː eə ɜː ə ɪə ʊə/.

at: When unstressed, as it usually is, at has the weak form /ət/.

People travel to faraway places to watch in fascination the kind of things they ignore at home.